Traylor Post Gallery Archive

Works from the New Jersey-born “Accidental Artist,” Jon Sarkin to be featured at PEAC Health & Fitness and presented by the Traylor-Post Gallery:

Ewing, NJ—Jon Sarkin is an artist savant, or as others know him, a medical mystery. According to Ruthann Traylor and Michelle Post, founders of Traylor-Post Gallery, “We see him as an incredibly talented visionary artist whose work we are delighted to present at PEAC Health & Fitness March 27 – April 30, 2011.”

A former chiropractor, Sarkin’s transformation to artist occurred in 1988 when he suffered a sudden brain hemorrhage and stroke that changed his life in an instant. Emerging from his near death experience, Sarkin was changed in an inexplicable fashion. He awoke a different man both in body and spirit. He was deaf in one ear, his vision splintered and his balance skewed. Most interestingly, he was overtaken with an effusive unfocused desire to create art. Neurologists told him his brain had changed. It had been wounded and medically probed with parts removed. The neurons that were left, had been forced to make new connections, and find new meaning.

Eighteen months after his stroke, it became increasingly difficult for Sarkin to maintain the semblance of his former life. He tried to go back to his practice, but no longer had adequate coordination. His focus was skewed as his mind continually wandered, developing a preference to draw instead of seeing patients. Sarkin became obsessed with drawing. He describes himself as a neurological oddity. “I’m unable to see the world as a whole and unable to ignore it in its infinite detail. My brain tries to make sense of the world. Through colors, images and words, I try to make sense of the way I see things.” When it comes to his art, Sarkin says he cannot stop, nor does he want to stop. In fact, he is afraid to stop. He is an accidental artist, who needs to draw, to put it all down on paper. This is his engine––his purpose for living.

Sarkin’s experiences and accomplishments have been documented on ABC’s Medical Mysteries, the Discovery Science Channel Documentary “Tormented by Genius,” and the American Visionary Art Museum. A book about the life of Jon Sarkin is scheduled to be released April 5, 2011 by Pulitzer Prize nominee finalist Amy Nutt, and Tom Cruise has acquired the rights to his life story to develop a movie. His art has been featured in New Yorker Magazine, Vanity Fair and other notable media. Sarkin created the album art for Guster’s latest album, Easy Wonderful, and he also created art for the music video/single “Do You Love Me.”

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the art world to see the genius of Jon Sarkin in a local setting,” says Michael Briehler, President of PEAC. “We are fortunate to be teaming up with Traylor-Post Gallery to coordinate this spectacular event.” PEAC is a premier fitness center in central New Jersey who continually displays artwork from many area artists throughout the facility.

The exhibit will feature select drawings and paintings. A reception will be held on Saturday April 9th from 5-7pm, with Jon Sarkin. The art show is open to the public at PEAC, which is located at 1440 Lower Ferry Road in Ewing. Attendance for the opening will be limited and reservations required. For more information visit: http://www.traylorpostgallery.com or email at: ruthanntraylor@comcast.net or phone: 201-400-1324. The exhibit at PEAC opens March 27th and runs through April 30th.

Works from ABC’s Medical Mysteries Jon Sarkin to be Featured at The Atlanta Folk Fest, presented by the Traylor-Post Gallery.

Some know Jon Sarkin as an artist savant. Others know him as a medical mystery. According to Ruthann Traylor and Michelle Post, founders of the Traylor-Post Gallery, “We see him as an incredibly talented visionary artist whose work we are delighted to exhibit at The Atlanta Folk Fest, August 20-22, 2010.

A former chiropractor, Sarkin’s transformation to artist occurred in 1988 when a sudden brain hemorrhage and stroke while golfing changed his life in an instant. Emerging from his near death experience, he awoke a different man both in body and spirit. He was deaf in one ear, his vision splintered and his balance skewed. Neurologists told him his brain had changed; it had been wounded, sliced up, and parts taken out. The neurons that were left had been forced to make new connections, find new meaning.

Eighteen months after his stroke, it became harder and harder for him to maintain the semblance of his former life. His mind wandered, and he preferred to doodle and draw instead of seeing patients. Most interestingly, he was overtaken with an effusive, unfocused desire to create art.

He describes himself as a neurological oddity. “I’m unable to see the world as a whole and unable to ignore it in its infinite detail. My brain tries to make sense of the world. Through colors, images and words, I try to make sense of the way I see things.”

When it comes to his art he says he cannot stop, nor does he want to stop. In fact, he is afraid to stop. He is an accidental artist, who needs to draw, to put it all down on paper. This is his engine––his purpose for living.

Sarkin’s experience has been documented on ABC’s Medical Mysteries, focus of an episode of This American Life and two BBC documentaries. His art has been featured in New Yorker Magazine and other notable media.

Tom Cruise bought the rights to his life story who is executive producing and starring in the film. His work is in the private collections of Tom Cruise, Robert DeNiro, Diane Von Fursternberg, Meryl Streep to name a few.

Sarkin’s work and that of other outsider artists including Wayne Cunningham, Manfred Peil, Mary Carol Williams and Steve Slomko can be viewed at The Traylor-Post Gallery booth at The Atlanta Folk Fest, at the North Atlanta Trade Center, 1700 Jeurgens Court, Norcross, GA. Hours are Friday, August 20, 5 – 10 PM, Saturday, August 21, 10 AM – 7 PM and Sunday, August 22, 10 AM – 5 PM.

Jon Sarkin is a prolific, even compulsive, artist who creates elaborate drawings and paintings cluttered with words and images. His work has been featured in The New Yorker, The New York Times, ABC Primetime, This American Life, GQ, ArtNews, and galleries in New York, Los Angeles, and around the world. His lives and works in Gloucester Massachusetts.

Mental Images
January 18, 2012 Posted by Alexandra Pappas under Art/Archaeology, Epigraphy/Papyrology
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